Somebody Else's Child [Paperback]

Terris McMahan Grimes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1996

Learning about a murder and kidnapping in her elderly mother's hometown, amateur sleuth Theresa Galloway is forced to agree when her mother insists that she has a better chance of solving the crime than the police do.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

When her mother's elderly neighbor is shot in an apparent drive-by, Theresa Galloway finds herself prowling the streets of Sacramento in search of the killer and the dead woman's missing grandchild. In this world of crackheads and gangsters, Theresa's in over her head, but we soon see her rolling in the dirt in her Ann Klein outfit, ducking gunfire, breaking her fiberglass nails, and losing her pumps. This mystery, Grimes's first in a series starring this "intrepid soul sister" and married mother of two, won Anthony Awards for best first novel and best paperback original in 1997. Theresa is a reluctant sleuth but an appealing narrator: witty, affable, and somewhat prudish, driven as much by her domineering mother as by curiosity. Somebody Else's Child is told in her fresh and lively voice, and it's full of both smart dialogue and deftly drawn characters. Theresa's "rather excitable" mother and the children are especially well crafted.

Much of the drama here comes from Theresa's attempts to balance her job, family, and amateur-detective work, which no one seems to take seriously. Before long, it looks like Theresa's job at the California Department of Environmental Equity is being taken over by a foul-mouthed underling, her husband is having an affair with her old nemesis, and her children are running wild. Add to this the vague hostility of the white world--which works less as social commentary than as subtly realistic detail--and the sense of pervasive jeopardy escalates. When things get stressful, Theresa retreats to her bathtub; by the end of this gripping and satisfying mystery, the reader may feel like doing the same.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Onyx (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451186729
• ISBN-13: 978-0451186720
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,261,090 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE FIRST SENTENCE GRABBED ME!, August 14, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Somebody Else's Child (Paperback)

Mrs. Grimes has made these characters so real that the only aspect missing is seeing them in the flesh. Theresa's mother kept tears (of laughter) in my eyes. This book is so action packed, the dialogue so real-life that this reader felt at one with the characters, scenes, and action. The book reads quickly and dares you to put it down! ...and that last sentence (Please don't peek!) will hook you as a Theresa Galloway fan!

4.0 out of 5 stars A Crazy Woman Is Leslie, August 12, 2000

By 

Sonya Wilson (Peoria, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Somebody Else's Child (Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book; I did not want to put it down. I thought the main character had lost her mind the way that she ran around town looking for clues, for her mother, but did not run around town for her family. I stayed on the edge of my seat. This is a must read. I want to read more of this author's books. The plot kept moving right along, it did not slow down.

4.0 out of 5 stars Impressed!, September 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Somebody Else's Child (Paperback)

I was impressed by this first novel by Mrs. Grimes. The book did keep me interested and wondering what would happen next. Theresa kept bugging me by neglecting her immediate family, but I still thought it was a good read. I am glad I found a good mystery author. Keep up the good work.